Moone 26.2km Kilomarathon

Report by Joe Haugh

Team selfie by Ronan Murray!

Well, races outside Dublin have always thrown up different challenges and this race was no different. Moone in co Kildare is a nice sleepy village, and I heard about the race from fellow runners Ronan Murray and Stephen Willoughby, who ran the race last year. About a 40 min drive down the motorway, we arrived early enough to pick up our numbers and get prepped for the race ahead.

Stephen and Ronan, veterans of the race filled me in on the no of hills that I would encounter and how you should be prepare for the finish line hill, which you incidentally run down at the start, you feel good then, but on the way back it is a different story.

The race started at 11am, and we all started together, we did discuss our own personal goals for the race, and soon each of us got into our own rhythm. The roads where well marked with signs for each race as there was a 10km race also on the day, one wrong turn and you would be back home quickly! We made our way through the course, for the 26.2 km stint 159 competitors took to the roads. The water stations where well positioned and plenty of them, which we were grateful for as the heat had picked up during the race.

By now if you have run a couple of races in the country side, you are going to be subjected to hills and this race was no different. In saying that, similar to the club runs in the water works, they are a great way of building stamina, getting you race ready and race fit, I certainly recommend people to consider it, and this race is an ideal race for lead up to any marathons over the next few weeks.

In the end the results of the three of us are as follows:

Joe Haugh 29th in a time of 2.05.33
Ronan Murray 47th in a time of 2.13.23
Stephen Willoughby 70th in a time of 2.22.04

A tough day at the office was made up for by the sandwiches and drinks afterwards, I enjoy this bit, have drawn up a list of favourite races where the spread is worth the sweat for!

Thanks to Ronan for driving down, and Stephen for the company and the banter!

Recommended race for people’s calendar, Ill be back next year.